1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network and system management. More specifically, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method and system that can identify the geographic location of a device by using information for various networking technologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is important for an operator of a network to be able to locate the resources that make up the network. The operator needs to know the location of each resource in order to provide planning, upgrades, inventory control, troubleshooting, or repairs for example.
It can be a challenge for users of network management applications to determine a geographic location for each resource of the network they manage. A number of data intensive techniques can be used to identify the location of a resource. One disadvantage of the data intensive techniques is that these techniques depend on accurate data. It can be expensive to maintain the data and if the data is not maintained, then the techniques can be prone to error. For example, the user may employ a geo-coding technique to determine the location of a device based on a configured Internet Protocol (IP) address. However, the location returned by the technique may be inaccurate due to an outdated database. In this case, the user may have to override the geo-coded location with more accurate information.
A further challenge for users of network management applications is that although some devices in the network may be automatically located using the data intensive techniques, other devices connected to the located devices may not be located due to a lack of available information or inaccurate information.
Therefore, what are needed are techniques for determining a geographic location of a resource in a network or system without relying solely on an existing database.